Italy revisited

I am in Rome with my mom after a glorious week at Yoga "camp" in rural Italy. Check out the website at http://www.sunflowerretreats.com/ and you will see where I stayed. However, I didn't participate in their program - I was with Jim and Lynea Gillen of Yoga Calm out of Portland, Oregon. I have Kristine Patrick to thank for keeping me going at that first yoga class! I have pictures on my camera but not enough battery life left to load any of them! I'll give more details when I get the pictures on the blog!

Now I'm in Rome - what a place! I liked it yesterday, hated it today, and am preparing for the Forum tomorrow. Mom and I spent most of yesterday at the Vatican (museum, Sistene Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica) - all of it gorgeous! Unfortunately, I am definitely going to hell as I muttered a curse word in the Basilica. I know - I'm sorry to any who would be offended. It brought back memories of a church in Oaxaca and a broken zipper!! My mother loves to take pictures - it is really sweet. Everything she sees is so amazing that she wants to share it with Frank back home. We had just started touring the basilica again after pretending to pray so mom could have a place to sit down for awhile (and getting 'sh'ed everytime we whispered to each other because we weren't really praying). Ok, so I'm kind of herding mom towards the exit but she wants to take pictures of nearly every stinking statue in the place (and there are millions). "OK, OK" she says, "this is my last one." 30 seconds later.... "Ooooh, look at that!!" and the camera comes out again. #$%@ Can you blame me? After four hours of crowds and pushing the wheel chair, I was hungry and ready to be out of there!!

After we finally made our way out and across the square (many more pictures later), mom finds a place to sit while I go scout out the restaurant situation. The lady who cooked for us during Yoga has a family trattoria near the Vatican. I found it (and a bus going that direction so mom wouldn't have to walk) and headed back for mom. We were waiting for our bus, and waiting, and waiting (seems to be our lot in life when dealing with Rome public transportation). Mom says "God Almighty!! Where the hell is the damn bus?!" just as two priests walk past us towards the Vatican!! I thought I would choke!!!! We laughed so hard after they rounded the corner :). We ended up walking but the food was delicious - by far the best meal we've had here!

We are now recovering from a day fraught with missed busses, much standing and waiting for busses, and much walking because we either missed said busses or got tired of waiting for them. But, we did manage to complete the city tour and see quite a lot of sights (the Trevia Fountain was worth the walk and pushing through the throngs). My turn for the shower and off to bed - the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill await us bright and early tomorrow (more walking).